Magazine-firearm.



J. H. WESSON.

MAGAZINE FIREARM.

APPLICATION FILED MAY25.1914.

1,1 79,881., Patented Apr. 18, 1916;

THE COLUMBIA .PLAqOflRAPH co., WASHINGTON. u. 1:.

construction chosen for tion.

JOSEFH H. WESSON, F SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

MAGAZINE-FIREARM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 18, 1916.

Application filed May 25, 1914. Serial No. 840,668.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OSEPI-I H. "Wesson, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing in Springfield, in the county of Hampden and State ofMassachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Magazine Firearms, ofwhich the following description, in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representinglike parts.

The present invention relates to a repeating fire-arm and is embodied ina fire-arm of that type known as a pump gun in which the ejection of thespent shell and the reloading action are accomplished by a forward andbackward movement of the forestock or some equivalent part.

lVhile the invention may be embodied in a firearm of any type, it isherein shown as consisting of a repeating shot gun, and the illustrationembodies the general characteristics of a gun which is set forth in aprior application filed by me March 15, 1914, Serial Number 7 54,453. Inthe gun shown in said prior application, the magazine is located belowthe barrel and the said magazine and barrel are in one piece andtogether bodily movable with relation to the breech block, this movementproviding for the ejecting and loading action, as follows: Thebreech-block is adapted in response to the movement above described tocooperate with a lifting device located behind and below the magazineand movable with the magazine and barrel; the

said lifting device being operated to lift a loaded shell at the end ofthe forward movement of the barrel, so that the said shell will beinserted in the chamber when the barrel is moved back to its originalposi- The barrel and magazine are provided with a rearwardly extendingsleeve which fits over and slides on the breech block, there being alocking device by means of which the barrel and breech block aresecurely fastened together when the gun is loaded and ready to be fired.

In a gun constructed as above described, it is necessary to providemeans for locking the breech-lock to the barrel and this was providedfor in accordance with my prior tion can be more rapidly and easilyaccomplished.

In accordance with this invention the looking and unlocking areaccomplished by a slight movement of the fore-stock with relation to thebarrel so that in ejecting and loading, a forward push on the forestockfirst unlocks the barrel and magazine, while the continued forwardmovement of the forestock carries the barrel and magazine with it,thereby opening the gun and ejectmg the shell. The rearward movement ofthe forestock then closes, loads and locks the gun, so that it is incondition to fire. In connection with this part of the invention, I haveprovided novel means for opening the magazine and filling it with newcartridges.

A further feature of the invention consists in novel means for cockingand firing the gun, the cooking of the firing pin, or its equivalent,being accomplished in response to the rearward movement of the barreland magazine toward the stock, the releasing means or trigger also beingof novel construction and arrangement.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a gun embodying the invention with partsbroken away and shown in section, the gun being shown as loaded andready to fire; Fig. 2 is a. horizontal section on line 00 of Fig.1; Fig.3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the parts in the position assumedwhen the spent shell is being ejected; Fig. a is a horizontal section,on line 00 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is ahorizontal section showing the magazinein the loading position; Fig. 6 is a transverse section on the line 00of Fig. 1; and Fig. 7 is a similar view showing the gun unlocked, butnot opened.

In the gun embodying the invention the barrel 1, and magazine 2 form aunit independent of the breech-block 3, and are provided at the rearwith a sleeve at which fits over and slides upon the breech-block 3. Inthe under part of the sleeve 1 below and behind the magazine 2 there isa lifting device 5, which is shown as an elbow lever having a liftingshoe 6; the said shoe being moved forward with the sleeve and travelingunder the loaded shell which remains stationary owing to the action ofthe magazine spring as the barrel moves forward, as indicated in dottedlines, Fig. 3. The said elbow lever is acted upon by an engaging portion7 of the breech-block, said engaging portion being shown as the end of aslot into which projects a pin 8 which constitutes a projection from theelbow lever. The construction thus far described is substantially thesame as that in the prior application above referred to, to whichreference may be made for a clear understanding of the loading device.

In order to lock and unlock the gun and to hold the breech-block and thebarrel firmly together, when the gun is loaded, the sleeve 1 is providedwith a locking bar 9 which is arranged to be operated by means of aslight longitudinal movement of the forestock 10 with relation to themagazine 2 on which it is sleeved.

In the construction shown, the breechblock 3 is provided at the top witha transverse recess 12; and the sleeve at at the rear of the barrel andmagazine is provided at the top with a corresponding recess; and at theoutside with vertical guideways 13 which receive the legs 1& of a yokethe top member of which constitutes, in its cooperation with the recess12 in the breechblock, the locking bar 9 aforesaid. The said yoke islifted and lowered by means of a slide member 16 which is longitudinallymovable with relation to the sleeve. The said slide member is shown asdovetailed on the bottom of the sleeve 4: and detachably connected withthe forestock 10, as by means of a spring-pressed latch or button 17,the purpose of which will be hereinafter described. The said slidemember is provided at opposite sides with the projecting pins 18 whichengage in inclined slots 19 formed in the opposite legs 14; of thevertically movable yoke so that a forward movement of the slide 16 willlift the yoke and unlock the barrel, while a rearward movement thereofwill lower the yoke and lock the barrel.

The operation may be readily understood by reference to Figs. 1 and 3.

Referring to Fig. 1, it will be seen that if the user of the gun pushesthe forestock 10 forward with relation to the barrel 1 the slide 16 willmove forward with relation to the barrel, since the latter is locked tothe breech-block 3, and in such relative movement the projecting pins 18cooperating with the inclined slots 19 will lift the locking yoke thusdisconnecting the barrel part from the breech-block; and after the saidparts are disconnected the pins 18 will engage the lower ends of theslots 19 and thereby prevent any further movement of the forestock withrelation to the locking device. A continued movement of the forestock,therefore, will carry the barrel and magazine with it, carrying theparts to the ejecting and loading position shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

In closing the gun by pulling back the forestock the magazine and barrelare pulled back until the sleeve engages the stock at the rear of thebreech-block portion after which the slight continued movement of theforestock relative to the magazine and barrel will draw down the lockingyoke so that the parts are once more in the position shown in Fig. 1.

In order to overcome any friction, or binding of the parts, when the gunis being opened or closed. light springs 15, are interposed between thelocking bar 9 and the top of the sleeve 4: as best shown in Figs. 6 and7.

For the purpose of positively ejecting a spent shell, I employ, incooperation with the ordinary extractor hook 20, a spring actuatedmovable ejector 21 which is so located as to act on the breech end ofthe shell at a point close to that part of the flange which is engagedby the extractor hook. The spring 22 which cooperates with the saidejector 21 is continually under tension while the shell is beingwithdrawn from the barrel and, therefore, continually tends to push thebreech end of the shell forward, such tendency being resisted by theextractor book which prevents the shell from moving straight forward solong as it is not free to turn, and the wall of the barrel whichprevents the shell from turning, so long as the body of the shellremains in the barrel. As soon, therefore, as the end of the shell isfully withdrawn from the barrel the ejector 21 will spring forward,causing the shell to turn on the extractor hook 20, as a pivot, thusgiving the shell a sudden twist which kicks it free from the loadingspace, as best shown in Fig. 4. This construction insures a positive anduniform ejector action regardless of the rapidity with which the gun isopened.

A further feature of the invention consists in the means for cooking thegun which is accomplished in response to the rearward movement of thebarrel, the breech-block 3 being provided with a spring actuated firingpin 23, or its equivalent, the said firing pin being herein shown aslocated in a bore 24 in the breech-block, the said bore having a lateralrecess 25 through which extends a spring latch 26 which is connected tothe firing pin and adapted to be caught by the rear end of the sleeve 4,as shown in Fig. 2, so that the firing pin is pulled back and held bythe said spring latch 26 when the barrel is moved back to the closedposition. The said firing pin 23 is acted upon by a compression spring27 located in the back of the bore 24, so that said spring is compressedwhen the firing pin is pulled back as described, to the position shownin Figs. 1 and 2.

In order to fire the gun, it is necessary to release the firing pin andI have herein shown, for this purpose, a trigger 28 provided with anextension 29 which is adapted,

when the trigger is pulled to engage laterally with the spring latch 26so as to unhook the same from the rear end of the sleeve 4 whichreleases the firing pin, so that said firing pin springs forward to theposition shown in Fig. 4: and fires the gun.

For the purpose of loading the magazine the forestock 10 is arranged tobe disengaged from the locking slide 16, the fastening button 17, abovereferred to, being utilized for this purpose. lVhen this fasteningbutton is disengaged, the forestock can be moved forward with relationto the magazine as shown in Fig. 5, exposing a lateral opening 30therein, through which the cartridges can be inserted and pushed forwardagainst the magazine spring, each cartridge being caught and held bymeans of a yield ing retaining device 31 as soon as it has been pushedinto place. The said retaining device is shown as a spring fastened tothe side of the magazine tube, having a beveled projection which yieldsto the muzzle end of the cartridge which is being pushed in, and with afiat shoulder behind said beveled projection which catches over theflange to hold the cartridge as shown in Fig. 5.

When the magazine has been filled the forestock 10 is restored to itsoriginal position, being fastened by the button 17, to the lockactuating slide, so as to operate as above described as the actuator foropening and closing the gun when in use. After the magazine has beenfully charged and the forestock moved back to close the lateral opening,the retaining device 31 is pushed out of the way by its engagement withan inclined shoulder 32 formed on the side of the sleeve 41-, so that itdoes not interfere with the movement of the cartridges out of themagazine.

lVhat I claim is:

1. In a fire arm, the combination with a breech-block, of a barrel andmagazine movable with relation to said breech-block; a lifting devicelocated behind the magazine and movable with the barrel and magazine; alocking device to hold said barrel and breech-block together; aforestock; and means whereby a movement of the forestock relative to thebarrel operates said locking device.

2. In a fire arm, the combination with a breech-block provided with aspring actuated firing pin; of a spring latch connected with said firingpin; a barrel having a rearward extension sleeved on said breech.-block, said extension being adapted to en.- gage said spring latch whenthe gun is being closed; and a trigger adapted to disengage said latchfrom said sleeve to fire the gun.

3. In a fire arm, the combination of a breech block, a barrel having arearward extension mounted to slide on said breech block, aspring-actuated firing pin in the breech block, a spring latch connectedwith said firing pin and projecting into engagement with a portion ofsaid rearward extension, such portion and spring latch being relativelyarranged whereby the closing movement of the gun displaces the springlatch and firing pin to cocked position, and a trigger having means fordisengaging said spring latch from such extension to fire the gun.

l. In a fire arm, the combination with a barrel and magazinelongitudinally movable with relation to the breech-lock of the fire arm;of a forestock longitudinally movable with relation to the breech-blockof the fire ing device operated by the movement of said forestock toengage and disengage the barrel and breech-block.

5. In a fire arm, the combination with a stock and breech-block, of abarrel and magazine longitudinally movable with relation to saidbreech-block; a forestock longitudinally movable with relation to thebarrel and magazine, said forestock constituting a -cover for a lateralopening to the magazine; a locking device to hold the barrel andbreech-block together, said locking device being adapted to be operatedby a movement of the forestock; and means for disengaging said forestockfrom said locking device, substantially as and for the purposedescribed.

6. In a fire arm, the combination with a magazine provided with alateral opening for loading, of a forestock constituting means forcovering and uncovering said opening; a yielding retaining deviceconnected with said forestock to engage and hold the ends of thecartridges when they are inserted in the magazine; and means stationarywith relation to the magazine for holding said retaining device out ofthe path of the cartridges when the forestock is i in position to coversaid lateral opening.

7. In a repeating fire arm, the combination with a magazine locatedbelow the barrel and having a lateral opening for the insertion of thecartridges; of a forestock longitudinally movable on the magazine andconstituting a cover for said opening; a spring retaining deviceconnected with said forestock adapted to engage the ends of thecartridges when said opening is uncovered; and an engaging surface atthe outside of the gun to cooperate with said spring retaining deviceand move it out of the path of the cartridges when the said opening iscovered, substantially as described.

8. In a repeating fire arm, the combination with a stock andbreech-block; of a longitudinally movable barrel and magazine, having arearward extension sleeved on said breech-block; a forestock sleeved onthe magazine; a locking device to hold the breech-block portion and thebarrel and magazine portion together, said locking device beingdetachably connected with the forestock and being operated thereby whenconnected thereto, and the magazine being provided with a lateralopening adapted to be uncovered by a further movement of the forestockwhen disconnected from the locking device; a spring retaining deviceconnected with the torestock and adapted to move into the path of thecartridges inserted in the magazine; and an inclined surface formed onthe outside of the sleeve to engage said spring retaining device whenthe fo-restock is moved back to close the opening in the magazinesubstantially as described.

9. In a repeating fire arm, the combination with a longitudinallymovable barrel and magazine; of a stock and breech-block on which saidbarrel and magazine are sleeved; a spring actuated firing pin located ina bore in'the breech-block and having a spring latch projecting througha lateral opening in the bore, said spring latch being adapted to beengaged by the end of the sleeve when the barrel and magazine are movedbackward with relation to the breechblock; and a pivoted trigger havinga restoring spring and an upward extension adapted to disengage the saidspring latch from the end of the sleeve, substantially as described.

10. In a repeating fire arm, the combination with a stock andbreech-block; of a barrel and magazine provided with a rear- -wardlyextending sleeve adapted to slide on said breech-block, saidbreech-block being provided with a-transverse slot at the top; a lockingbolt vertically movable with re lation to the sleeve and adapted tocooperate with said slot in looking and unlocking the sleeve; downwardlyextending legs at opposite sides of said bolt provided with inclinedslots; a longitudinally movable actuating device provided with lateralextensions engaging said slots; and a forestock longitudinally movableon the magazine and connected with said actuating device substantiallyas described.

11. In a repeating fire arm, the combination with a stock and breechblock; of a barrel provided with a rearwardly extending sleeve adaptedto slide on said breech block, said breech block being provided with atransverse recess at the top; a locking bar vertically movable withrelation to the sleeve, and adapted to cooperate with said recess inlooking and unlocking the sleeve; springs interposed between said barand said sleeve; downwardly extending legs at opposite sides of saidbolt provided with inclined slots; and a longitudinally movableactuating device provided with lateral extensions engaging said slots.

12. In a repeating fire arm, the combina' tion with a stock and breechblock, said breech block being provided with a transverse recess acrossthe top; of a barrel provided with a rearwardly extending portionadapted to be moved back and forth on said breech block; a locking barvertically movable with relation to the barrel and adapted to cooperatewith the recess in the breech block for locking and unlocking thebarrel; downwardly extending legs at opposite sides of said bar providedwith inclined slots; and a longitudinally movable actuating deviceprovided with lateral extensions engaging said slots.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses. n

JOSEPH H. WESSON.

WVitnesses:

GEO. P. CHAPIN, EVERETT A. KINNEY.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. 0.

